“When you look this adorable? Yes.”
He scrunches up his nose. “I am not adorable.”
I hum softly. “Yeah, you are.”
“I’m a grown man.”
“I know you are,” I say as I tilt his chin an inch and our noses almost touch. “But you’re still the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.”
He tuts and removes himself from my embrace. “That’s the worst compliment ever.”
My eyes focus on the back of his curly hair. “You want me to tell you you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on?”
Evan’s shoulders tense, and it takes a few seconds for him to glance back at me. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true.”
“Don’t try to humiliate me.”
I frown at his answer and step forward. “Why would I lie?”
He shrugs. “Because I don’t look like you.”
“I don’t want you to look like me.”
Evan drags his tongue over his bottom lip. “I’m not strong like you.”
“What has strength got to do with this?” I ask as I fold my arms over my chest and tilt my head.
He looks away. “Strength is everything in our world.”
“Strength isn’t only physical.”
“Yeah, and I have none.” He snorts sadly.
“I promise you, Evan, you have mental strength.”
He shakes his head adamantly. “I don’t.”
I frown at the way he talks down to himself. It has my blood boiling in ways that make me want to hurt anyone who ever forced this into his head. Jaxon has filled me in a little bit about his past, but I don’t know the ins and outs of it all.
“Being pessimistic like that will lead to a weaker mentality.”
“I’m already there.”
I sigh as he looks at me.
“And as for physical strength, I’m even weaker,” he adds sadly.
“You've been training privately?” I ask.
“Yeah, with Kayden, but my progress has been plateauing."
“Maybe we should train together.”
Evan’s blue eyes light up. “What?”
“You and me.”
